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Photo of the week

Seen at City Escape Garden Center & Design Studio, Chicago.

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Calloway’s Nursery to open 3 new locations

Calloway’s Nursery plans to open 3 new locations in North Texas, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. A store in Flower Mound is scheduled to open in late September. Stores in Southlake and Frisco will open next year.

The company is closing a store in Grapevine because access to the store is difficult. In May, Calloway’s closed its 4 locations in San Antonio, Texas. The company continues to operate 3 locations in Houston under the Cornelius Nursery banner.

-- Sarah

Bagged goods hit hard by delivery fees

Rising energy costs have caused price increases for consumer-labeled bagged goods. Products that are heavy and bulky, such as bags of soil, are particularly vulnerable to rising freight costs, according to Washington Post.

Baron Faust, general manager of Johnson’s Florist and Garden Center in Washington, D.C., said he may pay a fuel surcharge of $100 or $150 for a truckload of bagged soil delivered from a distant supplier. “You eat that as long as you can,” he told the Post. “Inevitably, the extra cost will get passed to the consumer.”

-- Sarah

Niche marketing?

So, it’s back-to-school time here in Texas -- my favorite shopping season of all. As an acknowledged office supply addict, it’s all I can do to keep myself away from “those” stores during this time. Even I have to admit I don’t really need 15 packages of 150-sheet notebook filler paper.

Even though it’s only 9 cents a package.

Or do I?

The thing I’ve noticed is some heavy competition and, dare I say political-esque, lobbying for customers going on. At least in my town.

We’ve all seen the back-to-school clothes ads, shoe ads, supply lists, etc. But when I noticed an ad for a back-to-school indoor silk plant, I took notice. Then I saw how some bigger box DIY stores (you know who they are) also suddenly sprouted b-t-s “dorm” must-haves. Silk plants, tabletop fountains, cacti, special lighting that not only is easy on the eyes when studying, but helps indoor plants grow. Hmm, an untapped market, perhaps?

For so long, I’ve been reading about marketing and selling to Generations X and Y. I am a Gen Xer and have to admit I get a little steamed about the way we’re portrayed. And a bit abashed ‘cause, yeah, I’m of the “now” mindset. That being said, though, maybe if we’d been started a little earlier on the wonders and soothing nature of gardening, we wouldn’t be labeled so snarkily. Who knows?

I do know that whatever marketing is aimed now at Gen Z(??) seems to be working. My son (the abovementioned freshman) insists that having an indoor fountain will provide him with a sense of tranquility and feng shui, thereby increasing his ability to focus on his studies.

He’s also lobbying for the special lighting.

Since he plans on being a surgeon, I guess it’s up to me to ensure he has all the tools he needs (or feels he needs due to excellent marketing strategies).

Too bad they don’t sell those lights at real back-to-school prices!

-- Jennifer

Todd Bachman will be laid to rest on Friday

Todd Bachman, Bachman CEO and chairman of the board who died in Beijing on August 9, will be laid to rest this Friday in Lakeville, Minn., the garden center announced yesterday. Bachman's Web site has the times and location for visitation and the funeral posted. The family requests that any memorials given be directed to the Todd Bachman Memorial Fund, handled through Bachman's headquarters.

Hines files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

California wholesale grower Hines Horticulture filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week. The company plans to sell all or most of its assets. The company said in a court document that it has “significantly greater than expected declines in revenue” for several reasons: inclement weather; decline in the economy and the U.S. housing market, which has resulted in significantly less landscaping; and pricing pressure from some of its largest customers. Founded in 1920, Hines operates 7 nurseries in 4 states. It sells to big-box outlets like Home Depot and Lowe’s, as well as to independent garden stores.

Photo of the week

Seen at Churchill's, Exeter, N.H.

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Dale Bachman succeeds Todd Bachman to CEO and Chairman

Bachman's announced its new leadership team following the death of Todd Bachman. Todd's second cousin Dale Bachman has been elected CEO and chairman of the board, while Todd's first cousin Paul replaces Dale as president of the company. "As hard as it is to move forward," said Dale, referring to Todd's murder in Beijing on the first day of the Olympic games, "it's important that the company focus on its journey ahead."

Urban Outfitters confirms plans for Terrain expansion

Urban Outfitters’ CEO, Dick Hayne, and Terrain’s managing director, John Kinsella, confirmed that the company plans to launch 50 more Terrain-branded stores. The duo passed along this information at yesterday’s keynote address at the Independent Garden Center Show in Chicago. Hayne said they’re intent on creating a “lifestyle business with a garden center component.”

The next store is slated to open in spring 2009. No word yet on where it’ll be popping up. Hayne said they’re not relying solely on acquisitions to expand the Terrain brand. Instead, they’ll be creating strategic partnerships in some locations. The banners for all stores will feature both the name “Terrain” as well as the more familiar name of the local retailer. (Essentially the same branding strategy as “Terrain at Styer’s,” which was used for the initial store.)

Store design will vary according to the current setup at each new location. For example, the store scheduled to open next spring won’t have a cafe, unlike the Styer’s location.

-- Sarah

Start thinking about fall mum sales today

I love garden mums in the landscape. Especially when they’re done up right, with lots of fall colors and in sizes that are seemingly as big as a Volkswagen. Complementary plantings of pansies, ornamental cabbage and kale and other fall fare really get me in the mood for Indian summer days.

Ball Hort’s Bill Calkins, who’s charged with boosting independent garden center business, presented an excellent interview with Ball’s go-to chrysanthemum guy, Ed Higgins, in his August Simply Beautiful Retail Report. (If you’re not receiving it in your e-mail in-box, you should.) Here are some take-home points:

Give people ideas on how to use garden mums. Have an area with decorated mums on display. Display individual plants in a deco pot, maybe with a scarecrow in it.

Garden mums can dry out fairly rapidly in outdoor displays. So if you take good care of your garden mums, you’ll have a leg up on the mass-market stores in terms of healthy displays.

Sell in multiples. It’s easier to decorate with multiple units, so encourage this with a volume discount.

Have plenty of price points, which is usually accomplished by having many container sizes. Don't limit consumers to two or three container sizes.

Don’t forget tie-in items like bales of straw, decorated plants, figurines, ornamental gourds, scarecrows and goblins.

-- Kevin